More Bodies Mean Improvement for Blue Hens
NEWARK, Del. – Last season was the definition of a transition year for Delaware. The roster was in a state of flux for much of the year with suspensions, injuries and player defections, and the Blue Hens were down in numbers most of the season en route to a 5-26 finish. At one point, they were practicing with seven players, including a walk-on, and there were actually more managers than players.
In light of that, one can only imagine what head coach Monté Ross thought when he looked at his team at the start of practice this season.
“It was nice to talk to 14 guys instead of seven,” the second-year coach said, adding that the women’s coach teased him about having more bodies as well.
It was a given that Ross wasn’t going to turn the program around in just a year. The team he inherited wasn’t loaded with talent, and the personnel losses just added to the situation. Now, Ross not only has a deeper team, but he also has a better feel for his team this time around. He also learned plenty from the standpoint of coaching during his first year as a head coach.
“There were times where, if I wasn’t careful, we could stay out there for over three hours,” he reflected.
While this year’s team doesn’t look like a contender, it is clearly an improved version and not just in the numbers as there is certainly more talent. Some of that improvement comes from two transfers who will be eligible in December, former Georgetown guard Marc Egerson and former Nebraska forward Jim Ledsome. Ledsome should give the interior a much-needed boost with some added size, while Egerson should boost the perimeter with his skills and mature athletic body. Point guard Jawan Carter, who played a season at Saint Joseph’s, isn’t eligible this year, but he will make sophomore Brian Johnson better by testing him every day in practice.
There is also some good talent among the freshmen. Alphonso Dawson, a 6’4″ shooting guard, appears to be the most ready to contribute at the college level. He has some length that Ross feels can be used at both ends of the floor, and he’s a scorer offensively. Edwin Santiago will probably play both guard spots a little, but his ability to score and shoot will be the biggest boost he gives. Ross says he needs more strength, but his talent will allow him to contribute something right away. With wing D.J. Boney and forward Marco Cooper, Ross highlights intangibles, notably Boney’s ability to be in the right place and Cooper’s desire to learn the game as he’s only been playing for three years.
The addition of the guards is most notable, as the backcourt was the area where depth was the biggest problem last year. Just having more bodies there is a boost all by itself, as the only holdover guards are Johnson and senior Sam McMahon. Johnson started all 31 games and averaged over 38 minutes per game, answering the bell despite the large load placed on him.
“We really wore him out last year,” Ross said of Johnson, who looked good in an early practice.
McMahon is one of three seniors on the roster, with co-captains Herb Courtney and Henry Olawoye being the others. Courtney is the go-to guy on this team as the conference’s second-leading returning scorer and top returning rebounder, and if Saturday’s practice is any indicator, averaging a double-double isn’t entirely out of the question. McMahon shot nearly 44 percent from long range last season and Olawoye was fourth on the team in rebounding in a part-time starting role.
One big concern Ross has with this team is defense. The Blue Hens allowed nearly 70 points per game and opponents shot nearly 48 percent from the field against them last season, but they only partly illustrate the reason for the concern. With their lack of scoring punch last year, struggles on defense became a larger issue.
“Our defense was one of my biggest disappointments last year,” said Ross. “To put it mildly, it was horrific.”
One area at the defensive end where they figure to improve is on the boards. The Blue Hens were out-rebounded by six per game last year, and with more size inside this year, they should make some strides in that category.
Delaware experienced plenty of success in the 1990s, going to the NCAA Tournament four times with two back-to-back runs, and then closing out their America East tenure with an NIT bid in 2001. Since moving to the CAA, they haven’t had nearly the same level of success with only one season over .500 in CAA play and two such seasons overall.
There is plenty in place that can help the program return to the level of success they had in the 1990s. The athletic department has excellent facilities, with the Bob Carpenter Center being one of the best arenas in the CAA. The athletic department’s track record, which was recently highlighted by a Division I-AA national championship in football in 2003, reflects the facilities. Ross has a good background with his part in the recent success at Saint Joseph’s before coming to Delaware, and he has a staff that knows the game well.
Not long after taking the job, Ross said that hometown kids were going to be noticed by him and his staff. Delaware isn’t a hotbed of Division I talent, but it’s not lacking them and there are ones capable of playing at this level. Thus far, it’s clear that the local players have noticed their efforts, as three current players hail from the state and Carter attended the Tatnall School just outside Wilmington. All four have joined the program since Ross took over.
This season looks like it will be a positive building year en route to the ultimate goal of reaching the NCAA Tournament once again. The Blue Hens have more talent and depth, and in a conference that looks to be more wide open than last year, that could mean a sizeable jump in the standings, although that will require some things out of their control to work out. They should win more than the five games they won last year, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they knocked off a contender down the stretch to play spoiler as their freshmen and transfers start to gel with just about a season under their belt.
